Unfortunately, the answer is not as easy as once, twice, or three times a day. And there are a few reasons why...

1. Post Frequency Is Less Important Than Post Content

I hear the fear in their voices when my clients and friends tell me they're worried about taking a day off from their social media accounts. I see the fear when they tell me they're going to take a day off, and then they post something arbitrary anyway.

Listen, I get it.

We've been sold the idea that we have to work hard, post every day, post just the right thing, be trending, engaged, growing. We fear that if we stop working, we'll fail. This is especially true in the conscious entrepreneurial field where we're supposed to follow our passion! stay positive! don't give up on our dreams! and remember, if you do what you love for a living, you'll never work a day in your life!

When actually, it's all a lie.

Yes, you need to work hard as an entrepreneur (especially if you've just started your business), but rest is essential (I always reference my mentor on the matter, Jennifer Racioppi). And when you're sharing your message or selling your services or products, you want to use your social media accounts to provide value, so that even if your followers aren't ready to buy righthisinstant, they'll think of YOU as soon as they are, because you've already built a relationship with them.

So yes, it’s important to be present online, especially if you have a personal brand, but it’s more important to be intentional about your presence.

For example, sometimes I won’t post anything on Instagram for a week or more, because I don’t have anything of value to share. Maybe I haven't fully articulated my thoughts, or I’ve been too busy handling my clients' accounts and projects and I haven't had time to write anything down. Rather than post something lacking inspiration or value, I won't post anything at all.

Not only does this fill your feel with the highest quality content, it also takes the pressure off.

So, if you’re worried about your engagement dropping, losing followers / not gaining followers, what people will think, etc. if you take a break from posting, refuse to post every day, or just generally don't feel like following "the rules"...

🛑 STOP 🛑

You're more likely to ruin your account's engagement by posting too often than by posting too little.

2. The Infamous Instagram Algorithm Is Actually Good For Something

If you've discussed Instagram with just about anyone who uses the platform for business, you've probably heard someone along the way say the following about the latest Instagram API:

"OMG, it's the worst!"

"It totally murdered my engagement."

"I don't get any likes or comments anymore"

"My growth is like, non-existent since the new algorithm rolled out."

While people seem to have a lot to say about the latest Instagram algorithm updates, one thing is for certain:

The move away from a chronological feed ultimately extends the life of each of your posts.

Translation? Posting more often does not mean more people will see your content.

In actuality, if you’re posting content that’s not valuable to your target demographic, then your engagement rate will drop, and posting more frequently will result in your numbers taking a nosedive for the worst. YIKES!

Instagram is a visual design and storytelling platform. What do your images, videos, and captions say about you?

You are your brand. Now more than ever, people want to know who they're supporting. They want to spend money at businesses that support their personal beliefs. So if you're not sharing your mission, your values, and your personal story, you're missing out on cultivating a loyal following who not only wants what you're selling, but also wants to support you for who you are.

3. Think Before You Post

Remember that more doesn’t mean better.

If you want to focus your energy, choose to spend more time creating valuable, purpose-driven content. Choose high-quality photos and videos, and spend time writing longer captions that help your audience to build a relationship with you.